The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-09-24
Sleeping Wonders.
From the London Teleraph.

From the London Telegraph.
Sleep in most individuals lasts for the
space of eight hours. Exceptions to this
statement are numerous; whether these arise
from duty or laziness we shall not venture
to examine. Sir E. Codrington, the
famous naval officer, when a midshipman,
could watch on deck for nineteen hours;
this only left five for sleep, which in his
case was most profound-so profound that
no noise was sufficiently strong to waken
him; yet if the word sSignal y was whis-
pered in his ear he woke and came on deck
instantly.
Reporters of the House of Commons re-
quire great exertions to keep themselves
from sleeping. A few years ago distin-
guished member of "the gentlemen in the
gallery to,k down a speech while he was
sleeping His statement rests on his oath.
Calvin tells us of friend of his reading
aloud to him while asleep. The organ of
vision was alone active.
Coleridge, the dreaming philosopher,
composed "Cubia Khan, Zone of his poems)
while fast asleep. Next morning he was
sure there had been an acquisition to his
literature, but was too negligent to write
the stanzas. A few days afterward he
ATTEMPTED to recall the verses, but they had
for the most part fed and the poem as it
now stands is but fragment.
Everyone knows that extreme fatigue
induces sleep, aud this in spite Of surround
ing relations, which in ordinary circum-
stances would hinder any one from resting.
Previous to the shortening of the hours of
work factory children frequently fell asleep
while working at the machines, although
well aware that they would incur severe
punishment by doing So The North
American Indian, at the stake of torture,
has been known to go to sleep on the least
remission of agony, and will slumber until
the fire is applied to awaken him.
Its on record that during the heat of the
battle of the Nile some of the over-fatigued
boys fell asleep the deck, and duringthe
attack upon Rangoon, in the Burmese war,
the captain of one of the steam frigates
most actively engaged, worn out by the
excess of continued mental tensions, fell
asleep and remained perfectly unconscious
for two hours within yard of his largest
guns, which were being worked energetieal-
/ ly the whole period.
Habit and time, place aud circumstance
predispose US all to sleep. The celebrated
pedestrian, Captain Barclay, when accom-
plishing his extraordinary feat of walking
1000 miles in as many successive hours,
obtained at least such mastery over him
self that he fell asleep the instant he lay
down. The doctors wife never hears the
door bell during the night, although the
noise is sufficient to rouse the wearied hus-
band; but should child in the nursery cry,
then the mother, oblivious to all other
. sounds, hears at once the infants voice.
Na.AIt is related that the Able Faria, who
acquired notoriety through his power of
inducing somnah.shulism, was accustomed
merely to place his patieat in an armchair;
after telling him to shut his eyes and col
lect himself, and pronounce in strong
voice, "Dormez," which was usually sue
eessful.
There seems to be no limit to the won
ders display by man in sleeping. Conder-
oct, the mathematician, solved one of his
Iuu5V uiiuCuie pIouiSmo nulie hSicep-d
problem, too, which puzzled him during
his waking hours. A professor of theol-
ogy in the University of Basle once wrote
sermon while asleep; he found it on his
desk the next morning The preceding
night he could not grapple with the sub
ject as he desired, but the performance of
his sleeping hours was quite satisfactory to
him.
Jenny Lind was one of the most celebra-
ted singers of her time. No one could
rival her powers except factory girl, who
sang sometimes better than the famous
Jenny. The girl could not attempt any
difficult piece when awake, hut when sleep
ing she sang so correctly, SO like the re-
nowned artist, that it was difficult to dis
tinguished between their voices. On one
occasion Mile Lind heard the girl, and
even tested the accuracy of her powers by
giving her long and elaborate chromatic
exercise. This the sleeping girl performed,
much to the wonder of the famous Sweed-
ish singer.